Play
by oOTinaOo
Summary: The school has an open day and the students Rai's class should do a play... This story is going to be updated, slowly but surely! Look forward to Regis trying to sew, Frankenstein scaring the hell out of two old ladies, a falling prince, witch-rescuing...
1. We're doing a play

This story will be updated slowely, but surely. Should have been an one-shot, but I couldn't stop myself ^^

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><p>Pedro observed his class. Pedro observed his class. Everybody, including Shinwoo, was looking at him expectantly, and even Rai had turned his head to the front. But that was no miracle considering he would announce what their class would be doing on the annual open day of Ye Ran High School. By drawing, each class was assigned with a charge like arranging games, opening a small café-like place where the visitors could rest for a bit, decorating the school, or even playing guide and leading the parents or future students to the right places.<p>

"To keep the whole thing short, this class is in charge of the play." Here, Pedro's explanations were interrupted because the classroom erupted into both cheers and moans at the same time. The class threw out questions like "What are we going to play?" or "Who is the lead character?" but the students almost instantly quieted down as Pedro raised a script in his hand.

"I discussed the whole matter with your other teachers, especially your Korean teacher because she is going to help with rehearsing the play. We already chose the play and the roles so no discussions about this! We tried to fit the parts as well as possible to bring the best out of you. Some of you will be upset about it and some of you will be glad, but let's all work together to make it into an exceptional play. Even so, the chosen piece is a bit… Well, it's Snow White."  
>"But Teacher! That's something for kids!"<br>Of course, it was Shinwoo who was the first to make his opinion heard. Who else? But this time it was perfect because that was exactly what Pedro had been waiting for.

"Because you are so eager," Pedro said, letting his sarcasm be clearly heard. "You get to know what you are going to do first. You're going to play the prince."  
>There was a short – shocked – silence from the whole classroom before quiet snickers erupted. Ikhan patted his friend on the back.<br>"Huh? Me? But I'm bad with things like memorizing texts," Shinwoo wailed, earning a few nods from his classmates.  
>"That's exactly why you are going to do it. You have to make a greater effort in your school work. You're not as dumb as you pretend to be. Now, shut up and fetch your script," Pedro answered. Shinwoo wasn't dumb. He was just lazy. If he would put the same effort into studying as into fighting or playing computer games, then he could be good. Perhaps not the best, but still somewhere in the middle or front of the class.<br>Shinwoo slowly made his way to the front. His lacking enthusiasm couldn't be overlooked. Some of the other students made little jokes like asking if Shinwoo had to wear tights during the play. Pedro didn't waste any more time with the red headed youth and got to the next point, assigning the roles as they appeared in the play.  
>"Rai, you are going to play the father of Snow White …"<br>"I decline."  
>"That wasn't a question. You will only have one sentence so if you still aren't fluent in Korean, you won't have a problem."<br>"I accept."  
>Pedro sighed and ignored that strange behavior of the exchange student. He had gotten used to it. Whether Rai accepted because it was a small, one-sentence role or because his friends kept begging him would always stay a mystery, but he could live with that. In comparison, it was almost easy to explain to Seira that she had to play Snow White, what a wig was, and why she would have to wear one during the play.<p>

"Suyi, would you play the queen? And because it would be interesting and make changing between scenes much easier" (and he had to get a few more roles out of the story) " Yuna is going to play the queen while in disguise as old woman. You two are good friends. You should be able to play the roles so that you still can see you are impersonating one person," Pedro described while selecting the right scripts out of the remaining texts. Only as he handed Yuna her script, did he notice that he perhaps made a stupid mistake. He had thought that he would do those two girls a favor to let them play together like that, but he had miscalculated. While Suyi was joking that she was married to Rai now, Yuna wore a carefully controlled face. Perhaps it hadn't been his brightest idea to give a shy teenage girl the role of a bad, ugly and hateful witch, but now that the choice had been made, it was too late to change the part.  
>Pedro sighed inwardly again. He would have to speak to Yuna later. There was little time until the class was over, and there were still the roles of seven dwarfs to be filled. With this thought, he turned towards Ikhan and Regis.<p>

As soon as the class was over, Yuna disappeared with the excuse that she had to use the restroom. The other two girls and Rai were looking after her as if they knew something, but neither stopped her in her tracks. Only Suyi called after her that she would buy Yuna lunch so she should hurry to the cafeteria.  
>But Yuna had no intentions to meet up with everyone too soon. She hated her role in the play. Suyi and Seira had much better roles, and somehow she felt a bit jealous. And that was the biggest problem for her. She hated herself for the little envious voice in her head, while at the same time knowing that she loved her friends and shouldn't begrudge them for their roles.<br>But she didn't want to play an ugly, hateful and malicious person on stage. Even so, it was only a play. Everybody would be looking at her because she would have a hunch, rotten teeth and would do bad things to Snow White, aka Seira. She knew for herself that it was idiotic, but she didn't want to be seen like that from her parents, her friends, Ajussi and the two oppas. And the worst part was that the play would be held at the beginning and at the ending of the open day so that she would be running around heavily rouged and in tattered clothes all day long.  
>If she would be able, she would even trade with Ikhan, who wasn't exactly ecstatic about his role as dwarf either. But at least he would be cute and nice, not ugly and vicious like her. With a sigh Yuna sat down on the small staircase leading to one of the emergency exits.<p>

Most of the time she was content with the way she looked. Yuna knew that she wasn't as beautiful or otherworldly gorgeous as Suyi or Seira, but she didn't grudge them their looks. And at least from Suyi she knew how annoying it could be to be famous as the idol seldom got to go shopping in town without being spotted and bothered.  
>But in situations like this she was allowed to feel jealous for a few minutes, wasn't she? She wanted to look beautiful, even if only for a short moment, and not like an ugly witch. And it had nothing to do with the fact that Ajussi would most likely watch the play, too. She wasn't too sure how she felt about him herself, but she was always self-conscious whenever he was in the same room.<br>Yuna hugged her legs and sighed as she laid her head on her knees. This whole thing was kind of complicated. All this confusion in her head and heart only because of a stupid play …

M-21 was on his usual round over the school compounds. Just a look at the small alleyway between two parts of the school buildings where only emergency exits and the big rubbish containers were located and he would head over to the east entrance. This alleyway was known for having students linger there to exchange secret kisses… or in the worst case scenario, to press money out of the weaker ones.  
>So it didn't really surprised M-21 when he saw a figure sitting on the staircase leading up to the entrance of one of those buildings. The girl was hunched over and hugging her legs. He needed a moment to figure out that it was Yuna sitting there and not some other random girl. As he got nearer and called out her name, she raised her head and looked at him with something between panicking and surprised …and as if she wanted to start crying any second. Whoever made that timid girl look like that would have hell to pay.<br>A part of him wanted to turn around, pretend he didn't see a thing, because he had absolutely no idea how to comfort another person, but he couldn't. Tao would really be better fit for this situation, but she looked like she was about to cry. Even he couldn't abandon her now. He was still in her debt for kidnapping her that one time, even though she didn't remember it.

"Is everything all right?"  
>"Sorry for bothering you. It's nothing."<br>"Yeah, that's why you look like this," M-21 answered and snorted. He wasn't a social butterfly like Tao or could read minds like Rai, but he could at least tell if he was lied to this inexpertly. A smirk tugged at his lips. Nobody would believe what Yuna just said, but he desisted from saying so because he didn't want to make her feel even more insecure. "If you want, I can listen. Even so I think Suyi would perhaps be a better choice."  
>"But I can't talk to her about this!"<br>M-21 raised his brows as he heard Yuna's outburst. She was hiding something from her friend? The way she looked away, clapped her hands over her mouth and flushed again, told that she was pretty embarrassed, but that didn't help him figure out what had happened. But before M-21 could ask something or finally decide to go, Yuna started to tell him everything about the play. At first slow and hawing, but then in a rush as if she couldn't stop herself and had to get everything off her chest. She told him about how she hated the role she had to play, the little jealous voice inside her heart and that she hated herself for it.  
>M-21 stayed silent the whole time, leaning on the wall and looking at her. He didn't really get the problem. Even so he understood that Yuna wanted another role, he didn't thought that it was such a huge thing to let it bother her this much. He was pondering the problem a few seconds after the girl stopped in her narration.<br>"The whole reason of this play is to show the story to the audience, isn't it?"  
>Yuna nodded, shyly looking at him for the first time since she started her confession. A bit of confusion crossed her face.<br>"It doesn't matter if you are the witch or the princess – you should keep it dear to your heart that you are able to do something like that with your friends and classmates," M-21 said, giving almost the same 'advice' to her as he had given to the two boys about their dating problems because he lacked any other things to say. How should he comfort Yuna if he didn't really understand what made her heartbroken like this?  
>"I'm sorry, Ajussi. You're right. I said something very stupid …"<br>Huh? That came as a surprise.  
>"I'm going to be a good witch for the play, and I'm going to do my best so you have to watch it," Yuna said almost psyched, and a smile lit up her face as he, still confused, nodded to promise he would watch the play.<br>M-21 frowned as his earpiece woke up and a voice could be heard. _"Stop standing around. Two boys are arguing near the gym."_  
>"Are you all right now?" he asked Yuna, keeping his eyes fixed on her instead of answering.<br>"Yes, I'm fine. Thanks for listening." She was blushing and somewhat avoiding his gaze, but there was still a little smile on her face again.  
><em>"Hey! Answer!"<em>  
>"I'm heading over there right now," M-21 said, activating his earpiece. Then he allocated his attention back towards the girl. Before he could tell her that he had to go, she already had drawn the right conclusions.<br>"The others are waiting at the cafeteria anyway. Sorry for keeping you this long."  
>M-21 nodded silently, and Yuna bowed before heading indoors in a hurry. He turned around to head over to the place where the two boys should be arguing.<br>She was smiling again. He still didn't understand in the least detail what her problem had been. She didn't seem to be sad any more but back to her cheerful side. It seemed that some of the things he had said had been the right ones, and somehow he felt good about that. The children were precious to him, and he wondered sometimes that he didn't protect them because he had to in order to survive himself but because he wanted to protect them even if his life would be the price.  
>Perhaps he should ask Seira later if Yuna was still all right and what had happened to trouble that kind girl into almost crying in a quiet corner. M-21 shook his head, smiling slightly. He was growing soft, but he couldn't say that it was a bad thing.<p>

Suyi was sitting next to Seira with two plates of Ramen in front of her, but her thoughts were lingering with Yuna. She still wasn't back, and they were already half through the break. The boys finally noticed that something was amiss, but Shinwoo kept them entertained so that they were talking again about the play. Suyi thought that she should have gone with Yuna and should have asked what her problem was. It had something to do with the play, this much Suyi knew.  
>"She is coming." Suyi stopped staring at the Ramen bowls to looked up to Seira and followed her gaze. There she was. Yuna hurried over to them, wearing a smile. Suyi breathed a sigh of relief and slid a bit to the side to make room for Yuna between herself and Seira. Before Yuna could say something or was even properly seated, Suyi whispered eagerly, "Is everything all right? It's about the play, isn't it? Want to change the roles? If we explain it to Pedro he …"<br>"No, I don't want to. I don't care which role I have to play any more because it's going to be fun rehearsing and performing it with all of you."  
>Suyi looked at Yuna for a few seconds, searching for any hint that she just said so because she didn't want to cause any trouble, but she really seemed to be content with this. No, she was almost radiating with joy. Suyi had no idea what happened, but she was glad that she got her best friend back wearing such a smile. Perhaps she would ask later when the boys wouldn't be around. Everything she wanted to say was cut off as Shinwoo choked back a shriek, his face turning a deep shade of red.<br>He raised his head from the script where Ikhan had pointed out something and looked anywhere but at Seira.  
>"I… the prince has... to ki-kiss Snow White in the end o … the p-play!" stuttered Shinwoo. Suyi shared a glance with Yuna before both smiled at a slightly blushing Seira.<p> 


	2. Costumes

Took a while longer than anticipated. But this is the longest chapter (or even finished story) I ever wrote in English. So, yeah, hope there's still somebody who's going to read it.

The next chapter is going to be shorter. And faster in the release.

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><p><strong>Chapter 2 - Costumes<strong>

It was late afternoon on Friday, two months until open day at the Ye Ran High School and one week after the announcement of what they would do on that special date. Normally, Regis would eye the accumulation of snacks, papers, and crumbs with a resigned stance to the upcoming cleaning. But not now. His mind was occupied with something else. It was red and lay on his nightstand. It should be the dwarf's hat that he would sew for the play, but it looked like a bag instead of a hat - ridiculous, deformed and unfitting for a noble.  
>Thankfully, the children were occupied with talking about the shared role of Suyi and Yuna. The beautiful queen and the vicious witch, the same character, but oh so different.<br>"I still don't get how you will make it seem like you are one person. I mean, you don't look alike."  
>Both girls exchanged a glance and smiled at each other. They stood up synchronously, flung their hair over their shoulders, and put their hands akimbo. All their movements were perfectly timed and, a little proud, they shared another conspiratorial glance, a huge grin on their faces. Regis really had to admit that he didn't expect those human girls to be able to move so synchronously and elegantly.<br>"Wow, like a studied dance."  
>"Suyi came up with the idea."<br>"Only because Yuna helps me with my choreography most of the time. It's more fun learning that stuff for my concerts when we're doing it together."  
>"<em>Speaking of being on stage.<em> Have you all started, or even finished, sewing your costumes yet?" Regis flinched at Ikhan's question. He was once again reminded of the funny looking piece of red fabric that didn't even slightly resemble the dwarf's hat that he had to make.  
>"I finished last weekend." Of course Seira, as a clan leader, carefully and diligently completed her duties instantly.<br>"I'm half way through. Thankfully, my mother helped me with the hard parts. I'm really sick of quillings right now." If the sigh Suyi heaved was an indicator of how much she hated her costume, it really seemed to be annoying to sew. If Regis remembered right, the dress should be really frilly and good looking since Suyi was the bad but beautiful queen in the play.  
>"Ah, I got my neighbor to do it. She's a nice older lady and learned to tailor ages ago. She's going to do it in exchange for me helping her with a computer problem," chirped Ikhan, grinning broadly before turning to Regis. "How far are you?"<br>"I tried to start, but it seems that I'm unable to do it," answered Regis with as much composure as possible for him to exhibit. Human children could do it, but he failed at sewing. That was humiliating.  
>"If you want, I can sew your costume."<br>Regis turned towards Yuna. He almost allowed himself to look at her with hopeful eyes but refrained in the last moment. At least, he hoped so.  
>"I'm already finished. My costume isn't as lavish as Suyi's. And, somehow, I had fun while sewing it, so I stayed up last night to finish it."<br>"Yuna, I can't ask you to sew my costume. I have the obligation to do it myself, because…"  
>"Nonsense! I would love to do it!"<br>"I gratefully accept your offer," answered Regis, slightly bowing his head in thanks. He would have declined, but he knew that it was impossible for him to finish the costume all by himself. It was more embarrassing to appear on stage with an unfinished costume than to ask for the help of a friend.  
>"That only leaves Shinwoo and Rai," declared Ikhan adjusting his glasses.<p>

"My costume is taken care of."  
>Regis sighed inwardly. If Frankenstein would do his costume, too, he wouldn't have a problem. But considering the way the house owner looked at him as they told him about the costumes, Regis was positive that even asking him about sewing it was totally in vain. Repressing another sigh, he turned his head towards Shinwoo, who chuckled in embarrassment.<br>"I can attach a button, but that prince costume is so frilly. I don't think I can make it properly."  
>"Then I can give you a hand if you would like to." Everyone's head turned around towards Seira, who was sipping her tea. She ignored the surprised, and in Shinwoo's case, hopeful, looks the kids gave her and acted composed as a clan leader should do.<br>"You would do that for me?" Shinwoo sprang up, grinning across his whole face and clutching Seira's hands in his exuberant way. The human children giggled as their friend noticed what he was doing after a few seconds and blushed while letting her hands drop.  
>"Ah. Sorry, I wasn't thinking!"<br>What an improper way of asking for a favor! Shinwoo should be grateful that Regis considered him a friend or else… He wasn't really sure what he would have done or if there would be a reason to do something. Seira could handle every problem by herself, but even so, he felt responsible for this kind of thing. His grandfather had taught him the right way to behave toward women.  
>But as expected of Seira, she reassured Shinwoo with few words that she wasn't mad and that she would gladly help him with the costume. Considerately, Yuna diverted the attention from those two back to the costumes by asking when they should sew them together. And without waiting, she answered her own question.<br>"Why don't we do it today? It's Friday, so if we call our parents, there shouldn't be a problem if we stay here late."  
>"There is no need to rush," Shinwoo reminded her. He seemed to feel a bit bad for letting the girls do all the work, and Regis felt the same way, not wanting to foist the sewing on them this fast. But before he could say so, Suyi chipped in, "If you sew it today, I'll stay, too. I had my half finished costume with me at school since I wanted to use the free period for it. But in the end, we just chatted, so I didn't get a chance to do so."<br>"So if the headmaster allows it, we'll have a girl's night?" Yuna's eyes were almost glowing with anticipation as she looked at Seira questioningly.  
>What was a 'girl's night?' Regis knew the words, but that didn't explain the excited way Suyi and Yuna were acting. Would the three girls stay the evening and sew? Or was there more to that kind of special night? Whatever it was, it couldn't make more trash and disorder than the kids playing. Considering the name implied that it excluded boys and Shinwoo was the epicenter of most of the chaos, Regis felt quite safe to assume that the girls would leave the room in a proper state.<br>"So, you want to stay here for a while longer?" Regis raised his head to look toward the owner of the voice. Frankenstein stood in the entry to the living room and clearly had heard the last few sentences. Or even more. Regis didn't know when that guy had entered the room, but he was sure that the older male knew almost everything that went on in this house. Sometimes, it was almost creepy.  
>"Yeah, we would love to. If you'll allow it," Suyi answered with a genuinely bright smile.<br>After a glance towards his master, Frankenstein's face lit up into his trademark fake smile.  
>"If you want to but make sure to call your parents beforehand. I don't want to make them worry without a reason."<br>The children didn't notice it, but Regis clearly saw the way Frankenstein looked as he turned around. More mess in his precious house. Less time alone with his master. Yes, he was torn between exploding with anger and regretting ever inviting the children inside in the first place. But then again, from what Regis heard, he didn't have a choice in letting the children in or in forbidding them to enter. Shinwoo was too forceful in this kind of thing.  
>It only took Suyi a few minutes to convince her father of letting her stay over a bit longer than normally, until the moment she said something about it being a girl's night.<br>Regis listened closely and what he could understand from the conversation, Suyi's father was worried that she would be heading home alone in the late evening. Regis could have told, even without listening to the words, as Suyi's face looked crestfallen per longer she talked.  
>"Tell him that I'm going to bring you and Yuna home," Shinwoo pitched into the conversation. It seemed like even Shinwoo guessed the main problem of the girls staying here and offered his help. You could call Shinwoo many things, but he always was there if a friend needed help. They had talked about a girls' night, but from the look of it, even the boys would stay longer. Even after measuring their sizes for the costumes.<br>Suyi's and Yuna's faces clearly told that they were a bit disappointed and sorry for forcing Shinwoo to stay longer. And Regis thought about the mess Shinwoo would create while he stayed over for a few more hours. That would be disastrous.  
>"Give me the phone for a while," Regis asked politely and took the mobile phone of Suyi as she reluctantly held it out to him.<br>"Hello? This is Regis Landegre speaking. I can assure you that neither Suyi nor Yuna are going to go home alone. You know that three of the security guards of the school live here. One of them escorts them home. Yes, thank you. Bye."  
>Regis finished the conversation and snapped the phone shut with a content face. Like this, Shinwoo wouldn't create a mess he would have to tidy up and the girls would be glad, too. From the underlying smile he saw on Seira, he could tell that she was content with this conclusion, too… And that she knew what his intentions were behind the help he provided the girls. Now, he only needed to convince one of those three guys to escort the girls home, but that wouldn't be a problem at all.<br>"Thank you, Regis. But are you sure that they are going to be pleased with bringing us home that late?" Yuna's voice sounded a bit reluctant as she asked that. She was clearly anxious to force the three men into things. Even so, he could tell that she really, really wanted to stay over for a little while longer. He could tell from the eager glow in her eyes as she made the proposal to finish the costumes.  
>"They will be glad to help us," Regis tried to reassure the girl.<br>"Says who?"  
>Regis and the others turned around towards the doorway again. This time there wasn't a smiling Frankenstein but a smirking M-21. He crossed his arms in front of his chest, looking somewhere between amused and angered.<br>"Che, as if you would let either Suyi or Yuna go home alone in the dark. Something could happen to them at night in town."  
>"That still doesn't allow you to sell me off."<br>"Ah, don't pretend like you would hate it. If I didn't say so, you would have offered your help either way."  
>Regis shared a conspiring glance with the enhanced human. He didn't know if the children could see it too, but M-21 forced the corners of his mouth down as if to hide his amusement in this little 'argument.' This time they were of the same opinion, and all the words flying back and forth were only for their own enjoyment.<br>"Ajussi, if you don't want to, we can always sew another day." No, Yuna definitely didn't get it, judging by the way she wanted to leave M-21 a loophole to escape the forced role as escort. Big brown orbs looked at M-21 with an apologetic glance. Regis chuckled inwardly. If that guy was weak against something, then it was the begging from the children. And as he expected, M-21 waved the question aside, "It's not like I have something better to do tonight. Additionally, Tao wanted to rope me into something. It's a good excuse. So call me whenever you want to head home."  
>A few thanks were heard from the children and M-21 nodded. He waved goodbye as he headed out of the door into the hallway, not even once looking back. Regis could hear the enhanced human knock on Takeo's door. Perhaps he was going to ask him for help, so they could bring Yuna and Suyi back home because they lived in different directions? But more important, what had M-21 been talking about? What did Tao intend to do? Hopefully, it wouldn't be something concerning RK-4 because he would end up involved, too. And knowing Tao, it would be something embarrassing.<p>

The next few hours went by in a flash. The children talked and played games, until the boys decided to head home as it already had gotten dark outside. Regis brought Ikhan and Shinwoo to the door, leaving Rai to his tea and the human girls in Seira's presence.  
>"Seira is going to sew the costume I'll wear," Shinwoo said and then giggled. Yes, he actually giggled.<br>"And Yuna is helping me with my costume," Regis answered tentatively and looked at the red headed boy. The girls would sew. So what? He looked a bit confused at the human boy, who was putting on his shoes.  
>"I mean, SHE is going to do it for ME."<br>"Shinwoo, stop being creepy," Ikhan said while rolling his eyes. He shared a glance with Regis, clearly wanting to say something along the lines 'Just ignore him. He has his five crazy minutes.' The bespectacled boy shoved Shinwoo out of the door and waved one last time toward Regis. The young noble closed the door, inwardly shaking his head. He still didn't get what Shinwoo was implying and he would make sure to ask Seira. But then again, Seira was perhaps the wrong choice as the words concerned her, too. Perhaps M-21? If he couldn't answer his question, he could at least tell him what Tao planned so Regis could avoid whatever came his way.


	3. Brothers Grimm

****This chapter was pretty fun to write. I love the Regis/M-21(bickering) moments :D

Many thanks to Vapor for proofreading it!

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><p><strong>Chapter 3 – Brothers Grimm<strong>

It was the next day after girl's night, and the sun had already set. Today, the children hadn't come, but they had met up in town to eat a piece of cake then head over to a PC bang. Seira or, better said, the other two girls made Shinwoo try on the finished costume, forcing him to change in the restroom of the café. Regis got around it only because he had tried on his own costume last night before M-21 and Takeo had taken the girls home.

Now, he was sitting in the living room by himself, bathing in the rare silence. Tao dragged Takeo off, saying something about buying cotton batting. Regis got suspicious when the hacker started giggling as soon as he saw him. There was something cooking, and Regis didn't like the taste of it.

But that would have to wait. A book lay on his knees as he sat in the living room, intently starring at the pages. He had gotten it from Yuna. She lent it to him when he had admitted that he didn't know the original story of Snow White or any other stories the Brothers Grimm had collected. The book was old, showed clear hints of usage, and was colorfully painted since it was for children. He would never admit it, but Regis liked the tales.

He was reading the last lines of Rumpelstiltskin as he heard someone approach. Should he hide the book? Pretend it wasn't his? Regis snorted inwardly. There was no way that anybody would believe it, especially not the guy that would come through the door any second.

"What are you reading?"  
>Regis took the time to read the last few sentences before he looked up at M-21. The physically older man came toward the coffee table and sitting area.<br>Reluctantly, Regis showed the book and noticed M-21's brow rise in amusement.

"A children's book?"

"I'm studying. It's the original story of the play we're doing. I thought it would be a good thing to know it."

"Of course, that's what you are doing." M-21 smirked, but Regis caught a spark of interest in the man's eyes. He moved a bit to the side to make room for M-21 as he showed intention to sit down. Yes, that man really was interested in the book or the story since he leaned over a bit to take a look inside the opened pages. The smirk expanded.

"It's written in big letters and it's very… colourful."

"Because it's Yuna's old fairy tale book. I borrowed it from her." Regis added just in case, "And don't even make a comment about me not being able to read properly or behaving like a child."  
>He would have bet that M-21 had stopped for an instant as if he wanted to keep his words from coming out. Then, he nodded with such a sincere face that Regis feared the worst.<p>

"I would never make fun of you since you're such a good kid," with a patronizing gesture M-21 patted his head, and Regis made a choking noise of surprise. That was unexpected even though he had anticipated something. M-21 was clearly making fun of him in an uncommonly good-natured way. What had happened? What did he know that Regis didn't?

He recalled seeing M-21 talk with Tao before he had left, remembered the huge smirk on both men's faces and Takeo's resigned shake of the head.

"Ah, do you know what Tao is planning exactly? If I understood him correctly, he is buying cotton batting with Takeo."  
>Regis' eyes grew wide as M-21 actually stifled a chuckle.<p>

"That could be my fault. I said to him that the dwarfs should wear big bushy beards since they should be old men like you are." M-21 smirked again as he referred to Regis' real age instead of his physical age. At least he didn't call him 'grandfather.' He had heard the story from Tao afterward, but only believed it when Takeo confirmed that M-21 had really said something like that to Rael in a fight. That guy really behaved like he had a death wish sometimes.

But that wasn't important right now. What did Tao want with cotton batting? And what did it have to do with dwarfs? As if he had understood his thoughts, M-21 made a hand gesture as if he was putting something on his chin and up to the cheekbones. Regis groaned. He just hoped that he understood it incorrectly. A beard made out of cotton batting? He wouldn't wear such things on stage!

"I don't know how to do it, but talk him out of it!"  
>"Do you think he'd listen to me?"<p>

Regis kept quiet for a few moments. No, Tao would do whatever he wanted to do. He never listened when someone said something against his plans, like with including them in his little RK-group, for example. If his clan leader ever heard of him being in front of so many people, including the Noblesse, looking embarrassing with a beard made out of cotton batting, he would be disappointed.

"I'll see what I'm able to do." M-21 said. Regis wanted to thank him, but M-21 spoke again. "Even though I would like to see you with a white fluffy beard, old man."

Regis glared at the enhanced human. He just called him 'old man!' This was a good time to leave the room before this developed into a full-fledged argument. It was late at night. He didn't want to get angry, or he wouldn't be able to sleep. Additionally, he caught M-21 looking out of the corner of his eye at the book that Regis still held in his hands. He laid the book on the table and stood up.

Regis was sure that the book somehow would find its way into M-21's room tonight. Because he _knew_ that M-21 wanted to take a look at the children's book, Regis had left it on the coffee table. He had really learned to read the physically older male, and so he knew, too, that this was something they wouldn't speak about. But Regis understood. M-21 was curious about it, too. Not so much because of the play, but because it was something he would have learned if he had had a normal childhood or could remember it. Fairy tales hadn't really been on the Union's course of instruction.

And even if M-21 wouldn't be interested in the kind of stories humans told their children – and he was interested. Regis had seen a short fascination flicker in the enhanced human's eyes – he would read it, nonetheless. It would be hard to explain why he didn't know the kinds of stories that were somehow internationally perceived as the ultimate bedtime stories.

Regis stopped at the door to the corridor.  
>"I'll tell Yuna that I'd like to keep the book for bit longer. There are still a few stories I would like to read," he said.<br>"Ah, so you admit that you like that book?"

M-21 was wearing his trade-mark smirk, his arms crossed in front of his chest.  
>"Contrary to someone I know, I take pleasure in reading. It trains your brain," Regis answered with the stiff attitude M-21 was expecting, and as he himself expected, M-21's smirk only grew. No, it wasn't a smirk any more; you could easily call it a true and honest smile. It seemed like they had evaded an argument and had headed toward a safer field of conversation.<p>

"Ah, just head to bed. Kids need their sleep."

What? Now he was a child again? Just a few minutes earlier, he had been called 'old man.' Regis hid his own smile while heading toward the corridor. The closer he came, the slower he went. There was still something he wanted to ask the other man.

Regis stopped at the doorway. If he wanted to pose that question, he would have to ask it now before he lost courage. But then again, he didn't know if M-21 would answer or would even know the answer.

"Whatever you want to say just spit it out."

Regis turned around. Why didn't he see that coming? Of course M-21 would take notice. No surprise, he was now looking at him with a curious expression. For a few moments Regis pondered his options, before heading back toward the couch and sitting down next to the physically older male again.

"Yesterday, Shinwoo said something as he headed home, and I didn't really understand it." Regis looked up to M-21, and he nodded as sign to continue. "Seira sewed the costume for him, but I don't understand why he was so ridiculously happy about it. He giggled for crying out loud!"

That, clearly, had been a question M-21 hadn't been expecting. The enhanced human stared at him, not blinking, wearing a dumbfounded expression on his face for once.

"Are you sure that he was in such a good temperament because of the fact that Seira sewed the costume?"  
>Regis nodded. Yes, he was sure of it. Shinwoo had even said so. It wasn't because someone had sewed it but because Seira had done it.<p>

"And he giggled?" Another nod. M-21 furrowed his brow and stared at the opposite wall, pondering the problem for a few seconds. "I would say he finally lost it, but I think it's normal behavior for a teenager. He seems to like Seira."

Now it was Regis' turn to furrow his brow. Of course Shinwoo liked Seira, just like Shinwoo liked the other children, Rai, or the enhanced humans. "So, he would have giggled, too, if one of us would have sewn the costume?"

M-21 looked at him again, dumbfounded, and Regis got the feeling he had said something really stupid just now.

"No, I mean like as in 'like.' She is his type," explained M-21, and if Regis hadn't been this confused, he would be amused by the way the man was trying to find the right words. Regis' first thought was that Shinwoo was just like Rael, but then again, his friend would never use Seira like Rael intended to. And Seira didn't seem to be so totally against it as she was with the other Noble. Whatever this 'it' was, Regis wasn't too sure about what the feeling of liking someone of the other gender would be like.

"But how? Why…?"  
>"How do I know that he likes her? I watch a whole playground full of teenagers every day at work; I know how they behave by now. And why Shinwoo likes her? How should I know? Ask him… and if you wanted to ask why a boy likes a girl… Well… Let's start with the birds and bees…"<p>

"You don't have to give me that talk!" Regis almost shouted to make M-21 stop. He still remembered how his grandfather explained that business to him, and that had been embarrassing enough. He didn't need to talk about this with M-21. Regis felt his cheeks flush, and the enhanced human smirked at him again.

"I… I think I-I'll head to bed. It's late," Regis excused himself, and this time, he was much faster while heading toward the corridor. No, that really wasn't a conversation he wanted to have! As he turned one last time around in the doorway, M-21 was already comfortably leaning in the cushions and thumbing through the book.


End file.
